Installing Plex on a Drobo 5N

Having played with a Chromecast device recently and already having my home media on a Drobo NAS device I thought I'd try to combine the two. One option is to use Plex as a media server; it has an added bonus that if all goes well I can use it with my XBMC setup.

Before I can try any of these ideas I need a Plex server running somewhere ... time to install!

Download the Drobo Plex app

You can download the required app by:

visiting the Plex Downloads page

selecting the NAS option

choose the Drobo tab

download the Drobo app package

Due to the design of the site I can't link directly to the Drobo download section. I won't promote the use of a direct link to the package as they may update this package in the future.

Install the Plex app on your Drobo device

copy the zipfile into the mounted DroboApp share

restart the device using Drobo Dashboard

after a few minutes your device will have completed restarting and installing the new application; Plex should now appear in the 'Drobo Apps' section of the Drobo Dashboard

Configure Plex

It's unlikely that Plex will do what you want straight out of the box; it's a good idea to check the configuration and ensure it's to your satisfaction.

Find Plex in Drobo Apps in the Drobo Dashboard application

Click on configure; a page will open in your web browser

'Agree' to the End User License Agreement

Log-in to you myPlex account; if you don't have one, you can register from this screen

Complete the Basic Setup

I found that 'Next' didn't work properly from the Basic Setup screen; you can navigate to the Library configuration step by clicking on 'Library' in the progress indicator near the top of the page.

A word of caution

While the 5N supports streaming multiple high definition videos simultaneously, it is not possible to transcode HD video in real time. For best user experience, Drobo recommends using a Plex enabled device over DLNA as it will allow for native playback of video content stored on the Drobo.